Moon Phases

In fifth grade science, one of the things we study is the movement of different objects in our solar system. Earlier in the year we learned about how the moon’s gravity affects the Earth’s tides. Now we are learning why the moon appears to look different in the sky at different times of the month.

We have been learning about the movement of the moon by using different models. For one, we put a styrofoam ball on a pencil. We used a bright lamp to represent the sun, and our own bodies represented the Earth. As we moved the Moon in a revolution around the Earth, we could see how the Moon was illuminated differently depending on its position in the sky. Here’s a slideshow showing this:

We also created moon phase models using Oreo cookies! In partners, we drew pictures of the eight phases of the moon, then we made models from the cookies. The frosting represents the illuminated part of the moon.

Do you think planets have phases, too?

(We’re going to find out the answer to this question after a video conference in a few weeks, and we’ll post the answer after we find out!)

Dear Mrs. Hamman,
I do think that planets have phases because of the seasons. I think this because every season is different and they change.In winter and fall the days are shorter. In summer and spring, the days are longer. Do you think that asteroids have phases?

I liked the moon phases because we got to make the moon and we got to color it to with pencils and then we got to do a paper plastic thing with the moon to see the faces with the sun which was a big lamp.

It was fun doing the moon phases I really enjoyed it the only part that I didn’t like was when we had to cut it into the shape of that phase. When will we be doing something similar? Yes I do think other planets have phases because it revolves around the sun like the Earth.

Yes, I think that planets have phases because if you were to look at them in outer space, you would see a light side, and a dark side. It was really fun doing the Moon phases though. My favorite part was where Devin and I had to name the phases of the Moon.
What was your favorite part Mrs. Hamman?

Dear Mrs. Hamman,
I really liked learning about the phases of the moon. What are we going to learn about in science next?
Your student,
Caitlyn
P.S. I think planets have phases too. I think this because just like the moon one half of a planet is covered with sun light and the other is not. Well from the Earth, just like how we see the moon, we see that the other planets have different phases too.

Dear Mrs. Hamman, what I think about the moon phases project was that it felt great to use oreos to make different kinds of moon with the dough inside the oreo. It was also cool to use a spoon to make a quarter moon. Oh and what did you think of the class making moons out of oreos?

Dear Mrs.Hammman,
I think in they might not and they might have phases.You never know the planet maybe like our moon,then again they might just stay the same planet except when it spins around. So I think it will be one or the other it is hard to tell.

It was fun when we worked in partners and we had to figure out what they were called . That was like a challenge to me because of the thinking that I had to do. That is why I liked the moon phases.I think that planets don’t have phases because they don’t do the same thing that the moon does.

I had so much fun doing the Oreo moon phases. Andrew and I were partners. When we were done we split the Oreo’s scraps and ate them. That Styrofoam ball looks fun can I have a try? I don’t think planets have phases, I think they just spin around.

Dear Mrs. Hamman,
Do you think the earth has phases? I think that the earth has phases, just as the moon does. I say that the earth has phases because we have only half of the earth lit up. That creates sunrises and sunsets as we revolve around the sun. The earth has to revolve around the sun to get the different times of day.
Sincerely,
Katelynn

Hello Mrs Hamman
I am on the Student Blogging challenge too. I am from Carlton school in New Zealand. This is so awesome! The theme in our classroom is space so I showed my teacher and she thought it was awesome. I really love this blog and wish I could do something like this in my class! Please check out my blog at csisabellaj.blogspot.co.nz